Oceanography | Vol. 38, No. 3
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on mentoring roles with a broader range of mentees, including
underrepresented groups at the mentors’ home institutions and
beyond. MPOWIR’s mentoring framework engages individuals
from a variety of institutions. For example, approximately 50% of
current mentor group leaders have career paths outside traditional
research and academic tracks and represent 23 different institu-
tions and backgrounds. Thirty percent of mentor group leaders in
2024 identify with two or more intersecting minoritized identities.
These individuals add to the overall diversity of the program and
serve as role models for junior scientists.
HEIGHTENED AWARENESS AND
KNOWLEDGE SHARING
MPOWIR offers ocean scientists exposure to perspectives beyond
their usual institutional, research, or conference networks, foster-
ing connections with a diverse pool of mentors and advisors. This
broadened access benefits both mentees and mentors: mentees gain
insights into varied career trajectories, while mentors expand their
professional understanding and may even discover new opportu-
nities beyond their current career paths. For senior leaders, par-
ticipation in MPOWIR cultivates three forms of awareness. First,
it sharpens their recognition of challenges early-career scientists
might overlook. Second, it reveals how other institutions operate,
offering comparative insights into problem-solving and workflows.
Third, it exposes them to non-traditional career paths, broadening
their perspective on professional possibilities.
Cross-institutional programs like MPOWIR uniquely benefit
mentors by fostering open dialogue. Because mentees often feel
safer discussing challenges with mentors outside their home insti-
tutions, these conversations uncover concerns rarely voiced inter-
nally, whether due to conscious or subconscious fears of retribu-
tion. The confidentiality of an external mentoring relationship
encourages candid discussions about systemic issues, such as work-
place dynamics or barriers to advancement, that might otherwise
remain hidden. These revelations can inspire mentors to adapt their
leadership approaches within their own institutions, anticipating
challenges their local mentees might hesitate to raise. Additionally,
discovering shared experiences across institutions helps mentors
feel less isolated, reinforcing their sense of self-efficacy.
Anecdotal feedback highlights these impacts, particularly
among male mentors, who report lasting improvements in their
leadership and mentorship styles—such as adopting more inclusive
practices to support women+ colleagues. One leader noted, “At the
Pattullo meeting I learned a lot about inclusive practices. These les-
sons helped me to refine my advising documents and style. I also
regularly recommend my students and postdocs attend MPOWIR
gatherings, and the feedback from them has been excellent.” By
integrating these insights, mentors often become more effective
advocates within their home institutions.
A key outcome of this knowledge sharing is the recognition that
traditional academic mentoring often neglects non-academic career
paths. Early-career scientists, typically guided solely by academic
advisors, have historically lacked exposure to alternative opportu-
nities. Programs like MPOWIR are helping to close this gap by pro-
moting a culture of broader career awareness and exploration.
While MPOWIR aims to increase the retention of late-stage
graduate students and early career professionals who identify as
women+, the pace of progress is accelerated by involving the whole
community. Welcoming the participation of those who identify as
men in certain aspects of the program has extended the benefits
of mentorship across the scientific community. To date, 48 men
have participated as senior leaders at the Pattullo Conference,
and several men have served on the MPOWIR steering commit-
tee. Such engagement opportunities also allow men to listen and
engage in thoughtful dialog toward strategies and solutions (e.g., at
the Pattullo and Virtual Conferences). Formal and informal feed-
back from male physical oceanographers demonstrates that they
have a greater awareness of the challenges faced by women+, serve
as better allies, and are intentional in their approaches to increase
recruitment: working together toward the retention and success
of women+ in physical oceanography. Among men in leadership
roles affiliated with MPOWIR who were surveyed for this manu-
script, 93% reported an increased awareness of the challenges faced
by early-career researchers. Additionally, 80% stated that mentor-
ing through MPOWIR influenced the way they lead teams within
their organizations. To further illustrate the impact of MPOWIR
on leadership practices, several male participants shared their per-
sonal reflections, including one who wrote, “I obtained heightened
sensitivity to diverse life experiences and perspectives, plus chal-
lenges that I haven’t faced.”
IMPROVEMENT IN MENTORING STYLES
THROUGH CO-MENTORSHIP
A further benefit noted by MPOWIR mentors is the opportunity
to learn new mentorship styles through MPOWIR’s co-mentoring
model. Mentor groups are always assigned two leaders to allow
for redundancy and provide a more diverse set of perspec-
tives for mentees. Similarly, breakout groups at the Pattullo and
Virtual Conferences usually include at least two senior leaders.
This model contrasts with one-on-one mentoring that commonly
occurs in university settings. Co-mentoring has clear benefits for
early-career scientists, giving them quick access to a broad range
of advice, variability in perspectives, and readily exposing points
where experienced scientists might offer divergent guidance.
Mentors have found this relationship of additional benefit to them-
selves as they observe techniques and mentoring styles from their
co-leads throughout group meetings.
TWO-WAY GENERATIONAL KNOWLEDGE TRANSFER
Another benefit from mentor group interactions not inherently
expected in the initial group design is a generational knowledge
transfer from mentees to mentors. Some specific issues facing stu-
dents and early career scientists shift over time. MPOWIR’s men-
toring groups are not affiliated with member institutions, allowing